The Nondo is the "grand
piano" of Neil Feather's instruments. It consists of a large steel
sheet that is strung lengthwise with music wire to create a shallow
"U" curve similar to the base of a rocking chair. One end of the
metal body has an obtuse bend for lateral rigidity.
The weight of
the body and the tension of the strings create a balance that can
be momentarily altered by pressing or lifting different points along
the rigid end of the sheet. The strings are struck with mallets
and can be dampened with fingers. The Nondo is most often played with a heavy
steel rod rolling on top of the strings. The rod divides the strings into
tones which change inversely as the rod swoops along the strings. Striking
the middle of the rolling rod with a soft mallet produces a bright bell
sound that immediately dissolves into a lush, unfurling choral sound,
one rich with phase-shifting harmonics.
Be sure to visit Neil Feather's
website for more info on the Nondo, as well as his many other unique,
innovative and visionary sound creations, projects and inventions at: www.neilfeather.org
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